Process of improving tobacco.



CARL REIMANN, OF

PROCESS OF IMP Patented May 26, 1903.

HAMBURG, GERMANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,218, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed March 1 7, 1 902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL REIMANN, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Hamburg, Germany, have invented a new and useful Process for Improving Tobacco; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to a process for improving tobacco and the products thereof-such as cigars, cigarettes, and the like consisting in exposing the tobacco or the products thereof to the action of vapors arising from wine-vinegar or ordinary vinegar, with the addition of camphor and the object of this process is to neutralize the injurious constitucuts or ingredients of the tobacco, give it a milder taste, and enhance the glowing property.

The narcotizing action of the tobacco upon the user mainly is caused by the nicotin, while the stimulating effect produced by a good tobacco is caused by the nicotianin. The percentage of the nicotin in the different tobaccos varies between 0.6 to eight per cent and apparently is in reverse relation to the quality of the tobacco, since the low grades generally contain the greatest amount of nicotin, while showing only a relatively small percentage of nicotianin.

The present process now has for its object to bind the excess of nicotin contained in the tobacco by means of tartaric or acetic acid, making it thus innocuous, and, further, to enhance the glowing properties of the woody constituents of the tobacco. For this purpose the tobacco, either in its raw state or worked up, is subjected to the action of vapors developing in ordinary or only slightly-elevated temperature from wine-vinegar or common vinegar with an admixture of one to three thousandths of refined camphor. The mode and the duration of this application, as well as the amount of camphor to be added, vary according to the grade and kind of tobacco to be treated, its structure and thickness of leaf and the amount of nicotin and lime contained in it. A thick leaf containing a high percentage of nicotin requires a treatment of longer Serial No. 98,479. (No specimens.)

duration than a higher-grade tobacco, since the latter generally contains a comparatively low percentage of nicotin, and an earthy, fatty tobacco requires a larger admixture of camphor than a lighter, more woody grade. Earthy, strong-ribbed tobacco-leaves rich in nicotin, for instance, require the following treatment: The leaves are scattered loosely and in thin layers upon grid-frames and remain there from six to twelve hours at a temperature of from to 85 Fahrenheit eX- posed to vapors naturally arising from undiluted Wine-vinegar in which are dissolved two to three thousandths of refined camphor. The tobacco is then worked up in the usual tained in shallow dishes placed upon the floor of the workroom. Another way is to atomize the wine vinegar within the room or to sprinkle it on the floor, in which case, according to the intensity of the vapors, a treatment of from one to six hours is sufficient.

If the temperature is raised, the duration of treatment may also be shortened; but the vinegar itself must under no consideration be caused to vaporize by being heated or boiled.

Tobaccos with a greater natural amount of citric or malic acid-such as, for instance, Brazil tobaccosrequire only a short treatm out, but a relatively high admixture of camphor, say from one and one half to two thousandths. In this case the wine-Vinegar is to be diluted, and the tobacco is treated in the above-described manner, only the application of the vaporshas to take place only during a period of from ten minutes to two hours, according to the quality of the tobacco and the dilution of the vinegar.

Thin leaved wrapper tobaccos-for instance, Sumatra-require a still shorter application of the vapors of diluted wine-vinegar anda still smaller amount of camphor. The treatment lasts from five to twenty minutes.

orked-up tobacco may be treated in like manner, either in packed or unpacked state.

Since the percentage of nicotin and earthy limy constituents varies considerably in the different tobaccos, according to the country and soil where they are grown, and even in plants of the same country and soil, but of a different crop, an exact statement as to the manner. The wine-vinegarpreferablyisconduration of the treatment and of the amount I of camphor, substantially as and for the pur- 10 of camphor to be added cannot be given.

What I clai1n, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

Process for improving tobacco, consisting in subjecting the tobacco, in raw or Workedup condition, to the action of vapors developing naturally from Wine-vinegar or common vinegar, with a relatively small admixture pose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CARL REIMANN. I

\Vitnesses:

GEORG PINKERT, THEODOR NEEs. 

